We went through the custom clearance at
Lautoka having anchored outside the commercial wharf that services
the sugar cane mill. Moored along side were some very dodgy looking
Chinese fishing boats, one was defiantly taking on water as its stern
was way down below the plimsol line, with all pumps discharging out
from the sides. Fiji along with many other South Pacific nations it
seems have sold their fishing rights to the insatiable appetites of
the Chinese! The clearance procedure was straight forward and on
completion we had an hour to leave! Impossible given that we had to
secure the tender to the top of Dreamweaver on our return from the
wharf.
We motored out towards the reef passes
as there was little wind due to the wind shadow created by height of
the main island Vita Levu. We passed several islands that we had
visited in the Mamanucas and also the one made famous in the Tom
Hanks movie Castaway. As we approached the reef opening many dolphins
and a pod of Pilot Whales accompanied our passage out. Fantastic in
the clear flat blue waters.
The crossing was to Aneityum, the
southern most island of Vanuatu. We had a good passage taking 3 days
and arriving early afternoon on the Friday. Richard the local
policeman come customs official came and cleared us in and this
allowed us to go to a celebration night hosted by the villagers for
all the 9 yachts anchored in the bay. Dancing in traditional dress by
many members of the village, stone baked fish cooked in the ground,
singing and kava drinking! Vanuatu kava is reputedly the strongest in
the South Pacific and it certainly numbed the mouth tasting vaguely
herbal although the colour of cloudy dish water! It was a great
welcome to the islands.
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